Deep and potent, with blackcurrant, dusky violets, cassis filling the compact, potent frame. Tar, tobacco, leather coat the base, downy and fleshy, framed with a fiercely thick wall of tannins. Intense through the sticky, lingering finish. This is Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Alfrocheiro from Terras de Azurara on the granitic soils of the Dao. After a stainless ferment, this spent ten months in French oak. Tight and unyielding now in youth, this serious, big wine benefits from decanting and pairing with boar or lamb — and more so from cellaring.
Dow is best known for its range of fine Ports. Like other producers in the Douro, however, table wines are becoming an important part of the portfolio. This substantial red is a blend of Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. Deeply perfumed dark fruit bouquet is scented with fine spice. Generously developed dark and red fruits come wrapped in velvety tannins with still rather brash acidity and a dry, tannic bite. Drinking well now with food, but will definitely reward additional cellaring (3 to 5+ years).
When handled properly (with care, like this) Dao is a fantastic region for fresh, bright reds and whites made from indigenous varieties, in this case, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro Preto and Touriga Nacional. Herbal raspberries, black cherry, perfumed rock roses, with an undercarriage of pitch and black pepper. Grippy and tight, sticky youthful tannins reflect a short six month stint in oak and three months aging before release.
Alvarinho is arguably Portugal’s best grape for white wine. Straw-coloured, this wine has a minerally, oily nose of peaches with a toasty oak note; full-bodied and dry, its richly extracted peach and citrus flavours fill the mouth and linger a long time.
Incredible value! I remember trying this Port at the winery back in 2012, just before being released and was blown away by the quality. Big, rich and full-bodied, the ’09 Fonseca possesses a saturated colour and a bouquet of crème de cassis, plums, raisins, spice, violets, dark cherries and earth. There is a concentrated palate, intense tannic structure and a long finish, which equates to 30+ years of longevity.
Ruby-amber in colour with a nose of dried cherries and vanilla oak with sweet toffee notes; full-bodied with tempered sweetness; richly extracted plum and caramel flavours with balancing acidity and great length.
Late Bottled Vintage, or LBV, is the most popular premium Port style in both England and Canada, representing 1 in 5 purchases of Port in the UK and over a 1/4 of all Port enjoyed by Canadians. This one is smooth, with a finely rustic grippy edge, this savoury/spirited LBV is from 70+ year old vines in three vineyards in the Cima Corgo. Foot trodden in concrete lagares and after a cool winter in the Douro, this was transferred to Vila Nova de Gaia where it spent the next 3 to 4 years in large wooden vats. Spirited plum, blackberry, boysenberry, youthful violets firmly ringed with fine, gritty tannins, lingering with a crushed, stony dust. This has presence and intent to stand up to the deepest chocolate torte or most potent blue while remaining nonchalant and effortless. Well done.